1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controlling method for an image forming apparatus, in particular, a controlling method by using a printer driver.
2. Description of Related Art
Image forming apparatuses such as printers, copying machines, compound machines and MFPs (Multi-Function Peripherals) have printing, post-processing and various other processing capabilities. A user can select process functions that apply to each printing job by using a control program called printer driver.
A window called “dialog box” is displayed on an operating screen in case of a general printer driver's GUI (graphical user interface). The window has an area where items called “tabs” are displayed. The printer driver disclosed by JP H11-147345A uses a pull-down method in which a plurality of process functions are displayed from the top to the bottom of the operating screen to be set up as the user select one of the tabs.
However, in order to select a process function using the pull-down method, the user must select a tab that corresponds to a desired process function's setup item. Therefore, it may be difficult for a novice user who is not familiar with the relation between the setup item for each process function and a corresponding tab to know which tab to be selected in order to reach a proper setup item for a desired process function, and may make take an extra time to select a process function.
Also, the process functions may include a process function for specifying a desired location of application on a sheet of printing paper. Take for example a case of a hole punching process, which is one of the process functions available, the center on the left edge, the center on the right edge, or the center at the top edge can be determined as a location on the sheet of printing paper to which the punching process can be applied. The location on the sheet of printing paper can be determined by specifying either one of the center on the left edge, the center on the right edge, or the center at the top edge by using a radio button. A radio button is a small circular button appearing in a window, which the user can express his/her selection by filling it with a color or leaving it blank.
However, it is difficult to recognize visually a location on the sheet where a particular process function is to be applied. Therefore, the user may initiate a process by specifying a wrong location by mistake.
JP 2004-038880A discloses a printer driver using icons instead of tabs and radio buttons. However, the icons are used as simple buttons on the printer driver disclosed by JP 2004-038880A. In other words, the printer driver shown in JP 2004-038880A provides nothing but a method of replacing a tab with an icon on the operating screen. Therefore, it still takes time for setting up the process function and is not solving the abovementioned problem of difficulty in specifying a location on the sheet of printing paper by visually recognizing it.